


Light up my sky

by Butterkeks (MrsPineapple)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Minor Draco Malfoy/Astoria Greengrass, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Minor Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2015-11-21
Packaged: 2018-05-02 13:37:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5250137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsPineapple/pseuds/Butterkeks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the war, Harry doesn't know what to do with his life anymore. He feels like he's a burden for his best friends and can't find a job. Until, on a faithful day, Draco Malfoy steps into his life again and seems to turn everything upside down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prolog

It was the 31st of October, everything was decorated for Halloween and children were already roaming the streets, dressed in costumes and excited.   
A young man walking through the town, heading towards the graveyard as he did every year on that date. His raven black hair was unkempt, his black cloak pulled tightly around his body and his green eyes were scanning his surroundings. Some of the children stopped in amazement and looked at him, whispering excitedly as soon as they recognized who he was.   
Suddenly a little boy hurried towards him, a wand in one hand and a broomstick in the other, dressed in what looked like over sized Hogwarts school robes and with a lightening bolt drawn on his forehead.   
"Look!" he pointed a finger to his fake scar and grinned hugely, "I am you!"   
Smiling, the young man crouched down and patted the boy's shoulder, "Oh really? I never knew I had a twin."   
The boy's grin only became wider and he nodded eagerly, "Well, now you do, right?"   
"Yes."   
A young girl walked over to them, rolling her eyes at the boy.   
"Come on Tom, we have to go or we won't get any sweets!" She pulled at the boy's arm and then looked up at the young man, suddenly blushing when curious, green eyes looked back at her.   
"You remind me of a very dear friend of mine."   
He couldn't hide his amusement about the fact that this little girl just looked a lot like Hermione Granger on the day they first met.   
"Really?" she giggled and blushed a bit more, "I wouldn't have thought that somebody would recognize who I am."   
He smiled and straightened up again, "How should I not recognize my best friend?"   
Both of the kids started to giggle and then turned around to join their friends again.   
He watched them go and ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it even more.  
"You should be glad that you're not me..." he muttered to himself and continued his way.  
...  
He wasn't sure how long he'd stood there, just staring down at the tombstone. He wasn't sure either why he kept coming back over and over again. It was always just hurting him.   
Although... he thought bitterly, everything's just hurting me these days.  
A sigh left his lips and he turned around, glancing up at the nightsky. It was clouded and he wasn't able to see a single star. He had the odd impression that the sky was mirroring his feelings.   
"Harry?" Hermione's familiar voice broke through the silence and Harry looked down. She smiled, but her eyes reflected all the worry he caused her. Slowly, she reached out towards him in a silent invitation to join her and he took her hand when he reached her.   
"I think it's time to come home," she whispered and tenderly touched his cheek for a moment with her free hand.   
He just nodded and they disapparated together.


	2. Chapter 1

Harry was sitting on the couch, his knees pulled up to his chest, and he was looking off into the distance. Dark clouds were visible in the sky and he heard the distant rumble of a thunderstorm over the faint crackling of the fire in the fireplace.   
Hermione came into the living room, a book in one hand and the other hand resting on her impressive baby bump.  
It had surprised them all when she had announced that she and Ron were having a baby, especially since it had happened so early and everyone had thought that Hermione was more of a career-orientated kind of person.   
She sat down next to him and patted his knee affectionately.  
"What are you up to today?"   
He slowly lifted his head and looked at her face. Even though she was smiling, she always showed that hint of worry and Harry felt guilty because he just knew that it was his fault.  
"Nothing..." he sighed, "but Mione, stop worrying so much. I am alright. You're supposed to look happy!"   
Hermione's hand moved to his arm and rested there, "I am happy, but I am also worried. You're my best friend Harry, it's difficult for me to see you in the state you're in at the moment."   
Harry sighed again and placed his hand on top of hers.   
"Ron is already angry with me because I am causing you so much worry... He'll kick me out of the house one of these days."   
"Harry," Hermione sounded reprimanding, "You know that he won't do that! Ron know's that I am alright and he's just as worried about you as I am."   
He shifted around and stretched out his legs, looking away from her.  
"I should get my own place... It would be so much healthier for all of us."   
Hermione suddenly got to her feet, stood in front of Harry and placed her hands on her hips.  
"Harry James Potter! Stop being such an idiot! You don't really think that I would be happier without you around!? I would be more worried than ever, because I wouldn't know what you're doing. If you're alright or not... We want to help you, but you will have to let us in and not shut us out."   
Tears were glistening in her eyes and he stood up too, wraping his arms around her.  
"Stop crying... Please."  
He stroked her back and she sobbed into his jumper, clutching the fabric in her hands.   
It took her a while to calm down again and when she stepped away from Harry she gave him a watery smile.   
"I completely forgot..." she wiped her face with her sleeve and sighed, "Ginny will come over today and have dinner with us. Maybe you can ask her for a job? She might be able to help you out."   
Ginny was always a touchy subject to him. Since they weren't together anymore it was always quite difficult for both of them to be around each other.   
"You know how I think about that, don't you?"   
"Yes. And still, I think it would be a good idea to talk to her. You know that she's in contact with the National Quidditch Team quite often, maybe you could play for them?" she sounded hopeful and Harry felt unable to say anything that would cause her more worry and so he nodded.  
"Okay, I'll talk to her."   
...  
He was in the kitchen with Hermione and helped her prepare dinner. Outside the rain was drumming heavily against the window and the sky was illuminated by lightening. Every time the thunder rumbled lowly it sounded like the sky would come crashing down and Hermione flinched several times.  
"God... I really love this house, but I always feel like it's going to be blown away in one of this storms."   
Harry chuckled and his friend next to him smiled happily.   
"The Burrow survived many of this storms, so why should this house be blown away?"   
"I dunno..." she shrugged and then started to laugh, "Oh, do you remember how often the doors fell out of their hinges?"   
"Yes," he sniggered, "we shouldn't have allowed Arthur to do it the 'muggle way'."   
"Hello guys," Ginny's voice rang through the room and Harry felt that familiar stab in the pit of his stomach whenever she was near him.   
"Hi Ginny! You're early, aren't you?" Hermione walked over to her and they shared a swift hug. Ginny nodded and sat down at the kitchen table, drying her clothes with her wand.   
"Yes. The weather didn't allow us to practice any longer so we decided to go home for today."   
She now looked over at Harry who had dared to turn around and watch her. She tilted her head to the side and seemed to think for a moment.  
"You look tired and ill, Harry... It get's worse every time I see you."   
It wasn't meant in an offending way, she just told him what she was thinking and he knew that she was right. He didn't say anything but turned back towards the kitchen counter, peeling potatoes.   
After a while he felt her approach him and glanced sideways, down at her. Slowly, Ginny reached up with one hand and touched his cheek, tracing her fingers along his jaw and to his chin.  
"You need a shave..." her voice was only a whisper and Harry's eyes darted away from her, over to Hermione who stood a few feet away and was watching them.   
Ginny's eyes never left his face and her hand was still resting on his chin, causing a tickling sensation there.  
"Where's the young man I fell in love with so many years ago?"   
Harry sighed and slowly pushed her hand away, hoping that he wouldn't hurt her feelings with that gesture.   
"Gone. He's long gone Ginny..."   
He then turned around and left the kitchen, going to his bedroom where he locked the door behind himself.   
Ginny never failed to show him how wrong his life went at the moment. She just had a knack to show him all the mistakes he had made, even though she never meant it in a way to hurt him. She wanted to help. Like the others. But it didn't matter... They just weren't able to help him. He had fallen into that deep, black hole as soon as the war had been over and he hadn't seen the light in quite a while.   
While he sat there on his bed, he was silently wondering to himself if he would ever be able to enjoy his life again...


	3. Chapter 3

"Harry?"   
Somebody knocked on his door and he turned around in his bed, yawning.  
"Harry! Open the door, please!"  
He sighed and sat up when he recognized Ginny's voice. A look to the clock on the wall told him that it was past 4pm and he wondered why she wasn't at work. Again, she knocked and he let out a puff of air when he got to his feet.  
"Stop knocking! I am coming!"   
Harry heard her giggle in a girlish way and rolled his eyes when he pulled the door open.   
"What a familiar sentence to hear ... Although I was never the one who came knocking."   
She gave him the kind of smile that used to make his heart skip a beat and he couldn't help but blush at the memory.   
"Right..." he muttered and went to sit down on his bed again.   
Ginny hesitated for a moment, but then walked over to the window and pulled the curtains aside to let some sunshine in.  
"It's a nice day Harry, don't shut the sun out. You need some daylight."   
She whipped her hair back with a swift move of her hand and then examined him with her knowing eyes. A sigh left her lips and she walked over to him, placing both hands on his shoulders.  
"I know we're long over, but I still care a lot for you..."   
He looked her in the eyes and nodded, "I know Gin."   
Suddenly, she leaned in and breathed a kiss onto his lips, before taking her hands from his shoulders.   
"I want you to come with me to the ball at the Ministry tomorrow."   
Harry felt speechless for a moment; Hermione had claimed a few times that Ginny still had feelings for him and he now wondered if she had been right.   
"I am not sure..."   
He really wasn't, because he wanted to avoid to make her think that they might come together again.   
Ginny pouted, "Please Harry. You have to get outside for a while and I promise you that it'll be fun."   
"Okay."   
He really had no clue why he gave in to her, but it might have been the fact that her lips still felt incredible when she kissed him...  
...  
The black fabric from her dress hugged her body in all the right places and he couldn't help but to gape at her when she came closer, her red hair dancing around while she moved.  
"Hello Harry," a smirk played around her lips and she reached up, running a hand through his hair, destroying what he had managed in hours of combing.  
"It's nicer when it's unkempt," she stated when he growled slightly.   
Then she looked him up and down and nodded her head once, her cheeks slightly blushing.  
"You look good, really."   
Harry snorted and rolled his eyes, "Don't lie to me. I know that I still look like I always do."   
Ginny shook her head and took his hand in hers, leading him to the door.   
"No. You really look fine tonight. I hope that I'll get to see you laugh a bit, too."   
"Hm..." he just shrugged and followed her outside where a car was waiting for them.   
They sat in silence for a while until Harry realized that he hadn't seen Hermione or Ron all day.  
"Will Hermione and Ron be there as well?"   
Ginny shook her head and played with a strand of her hair.  
"No. They are at the Burrow. Mum invited them over."   
"Oh... Okay."   
Great, he thought, I will have to watch out what I am doing...  
Once they reached the Ministry and entered the Atrium where the ball was held, he wished desperately to be back home.   
"Gin... So many people. Why haven't you told me?!"   
She raised an eyebrow and handed him a glass of firewhiskey.  
"I thought you would know yourself?"   
He took a big gulp and felt the liquid burn down his throat, "No, I didn't."   
Ginny laughed and laced her fingers through his, walking over to a group of people they knew from Hogwarts. Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom were among them.   
"Hello Harry," Luna greeted him and kissed him on the cheek, her wide blue eyes alight with admiration, "It's good to see you again. Haven't heard from you in quite a while."   
Now Neville had spotted him as well and clapped him on the shoulder, "Harry, mate! Good to see you! What have you been up to lately?"   
He felt trapped. What was he supposed to tell them? That he was spending his life sulking, living together with Ron and Hermione without working at all? Was that really what he should tell them? They would be so disappointed to hear what he had become... Great, famous Harry Potter, fallen from grace.   
Ginny lightly squeezed his hand and smiled at Luna and Neville.   
"Harry sometimes helps me at work. He was recently invited to come to the tryouts for the National Team."   
"Really?" Neville's eyes got wide and he looked at Harry.  
"Mate, that would be awesome! We would finally win a match again!"   
Harry forced a smile.   
"Yeah... Would be nice to play again. I miss Quidditch a lot."   
And so it happened that he got involved into a conversation about the sport while Luna and Ginny talked about the newest gossip.  
...  
Some while later, they were dancing together, surrounded by several other couples.   
Harry glanced around to see if there was somebody else he knew, and then it hit him.   
The blond hair, the lean, tall figure and the fair skin.  
"Is that Malfoy?" he whispered into Ginny's ear and pointed his finger into the crowd to show her who he meant.  
She nodded, "Yep. That's him and his wife... At least I think they're married."   
Harry frowned and watched the Slytherin, his eyes wandering over to the woman in Malfoy's arms. She wasn't very tall, but had nice curves and her black, curly hair reached down to her hips, swaying gracefully to the music. She suddenly threw a quick glance over to Harry and he could see her dark green eyes and her full, red lips. Her skin was just as fair as Malfoy's was and she was beautiful.   
"She looks like Snow White."   
Ginny frowned and looked questioning up at him, "I beg your pardon?"   
"Oh," he smiled, "it's a fairy tale from the Muggles. Snow white is a beautiful princess who has skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and hair black as ebony."   
"Hm..." Ginny looked over at the other woman and tilted her head slightly, "Do you think she's beautiful?"   
"Yes."   
She looked up at him again, her eyes unreadable and Harry smiled slightly.  
"Not as beautiful as you are, though."   
She returned his smile and softly kissed his jaw before she leaned her head against his shoulder again, moving closer while they were dancing.   
He couldn't keep himself from looking over at the Slytherin from time to time and his wife glanced back at Harry ever so often, so it wasn't really surprising when both of them came towards him and Ginny after a while.  
"Well, well, look who we have here," Malfoy's sneer was less mocking than it had been in their schooldays and Harry tried to simply ignore it and nodded his head towards the other man.  
"Good evening, Malfoy."   
Ginny looked back and forth between them when Harry held out his hand towards Malfoy, who, after a minute of hesitation, took it and shook it swiftly.   
"Potter."   
Harry wasn't sure why, but the way Malfoy said his name sounded to him like music.   
"Who's the lovely lady at your side?"   
Draco glanced down at the woman next to him and a smile played around his lips, but it wasn't a genuine one.   
"My wife, Astoria."   
Astoria bowed her head slightly and gave Harry a polite smile, before she looked up at her husband again.   
"I think I will go and sit down a bit," she had a melodic voice and Draco just nodded his head once and watched her disappear into the crowd. He then looked at Harry again and there it was again, the mocking smile that was just so familiar and Harry just waited for the blond to say something insulting.  
"It became quiet around famous Harry Potter, why is that?"   
Harry opened his mouth to say something, but Ginny was quicker, "I suppose that's none of your business. Besides, Harry deserves it more than anybody to have some peace, don't you think so Malfoy?"   
The Slytherin sneered and pushed back a strand of hair that had fallen into his face. It was now that Harry realized how long Malfoy's hair had become. He wore it in a lose ponytail and it went past his shoulders.   
"Did I ask you or did I ask him?"   
Ginny huffed and Harry took her hand, showing her to keep calm.   
"I decided that it was time for some rest. I've had enough trouble to last me a lifetime."   
Malfoy raised an eyebrow and an amused glint appeared in his eyes.  
"What a pity. I would've thought that you would become an Auror, a Quidditch player at least... But since I never saw you at St. Mungos or read about you in the Prophet, I knew that you're neither of it."   
"St. Mungos?" Harry couldn't hide the curious undertone in his voice and hoped that Malfoy wouldn't realize the sudden interest Harry showed in him.  
"Yes. It's where I am working."   
He looked around and Harry followed his gaze, spotting Astoria. Malfoy sighed.  
"I'll have to go now. See you."   
He raised his hand in a farewell and walked away. Harry watched him go, but tore his gaze away from the blond when Ginny tugged at his sleeve.   
"Can we go home?" she asked in a low voice and Harry wondered why she wanted to leave so suddenly. When he saw the look she threw over at Astoria, he had the sudden impression that Ginny might be jealous and he had to chuckle.   
Ginny raised an eyebrow, "What?"   
He shook his head and laced his fingers through hers, leading her to the fireplaces that would allow them to travel with the floo.  
"Nothing." he kissed her forehead before he pulled her with him into the green flames.   
When they reached the living room of Hermione's and Ron's house, Harry smiled down at Ginny, "It was a nice evening. Thank you for inviting me."   
She caressed his cheek and smiled too, "I am glad you enjoyed yourself and it's good to see you smile again."


	4. Chapter 4

Ginny's lips trailed down his neck while her fingers where tugging at the buttons of his shirt. Harry's hands were resting on her waist and he held her close, although guilt was already filling his mind.   
"Ginny..."   
She groaned in anticipation and looked up at him, her eyes glazed over from lust. He gulped when his body reacted to her look and shook his head.  
"I can't..." he whispered and pushed her slowly away.  
"You can't? Why not? What keeps you from doing it?"   
She smoothed down her dress and glared up at him, waiting for his response.  
He gave her none.  
Ginny's eyes narrowed and she huffed, "Oh, is it because of the beautiful Astoria?"   
She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer, "You know... If it is because of her, just pretend I am her, okay? I don't care."   
Harry sighed and pushed her hands away, this time a bit more forcefully.  
"No. I won't pretend anything because it has nothing to do with Astoria at all! I don't even know her, so don't be silly," he sighed again and stepped away from her, "I just don't want to use you."   
With that he turned around and walked to his room, locking the door behind himself.  
He could hear her raging on in the hallway, but after a moment he heard a faint 'crack' and knew she'd disapparated.  
How stupid of her to think that it was because of Astoria... Because it really was not... The reason why he wouldn't give in to her had blond hair, grey eyes and was named Draco Malfoy.  
Harry groaned and hid his face behind his hands. Why did seeing the Slytherin again affect him so much? Since he had first laid eyes on Malfoy at the Ministry Ball, he wasn't able to get him off his mind.   
"Damn it..."   
He kicked off his shoes, undressed and hid under his blanket, desperately trying to not think of the other man. It eventually worked, but as soon as he drifted off to sleep, his dreams were filled with the man he just wanted to forget.  
...  
"Harry James Potter! Wake up!"   
Hermione seized his arm and almost pulled him out of bed. Harry growled and pushed her hand away, looking up at his friend.  
"Where's the fire Mione?"   
She huffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest, glaring down at him.   
"Ginny was crying when she came home last night! What did you do and who the hell is Astoria!?"  
Harry sighed and sat up, rubbing his face.  
"Listen Hermione, it's not my fault that Ginny was crying. I just told her that I won't sleep with her because I don't want to use her."   
"Oh," Hermione looked ashamed and patted his arm, "Sorry... I thought that you two had a fight or something."   
"No," he shook his head and got out of bed.   
"Uh, Harry?"   
Hermione grabbed his wrist and he turned around to look at her. He nodded his head once to show her that he was listening.  
"Ron told me that he wants you to come to the Ministry. He's got some job for you... I dunno what it is, but he mentioned St. Mungos."   
A jolt of excitement rushed through Harry's body when Hermione mentioned St. Mungos. If he would work there, he might be able to meet Malfoy again.   
"Okay. So, I'll get ready and go there."   
Hermione nodded and left his room again, wishing him a good day.  
...  
A short while later he reached Ron's office at the Ministry.   
"Hey mate!" Ron waved his hand and Harry sat down opposite from him, looking curious.  
"Hi, so... what's the job you got for me?"   
Ron sighed and took one of the many letters that lay on his table, looking down at it.  
"St. Mungos need's our help. Many Azkaban prisoners suffer from a strong form of dragon pox... They will be brought to the hospital today. As a security measure, Dementors will be stationed there."   
Harry raised an eyebrow, not sure what all of that has got to do with him, "Come to the point, Ron."   
"Well, the Healers there will need some protection. Strong Patronuses, to be honest. Not all of them are able to conjure one themselves, so we'll need you."   
"Isn't there somebody in your department to do the job?"   
Since Ron was deputy head of the Departement for Magical Law Enforcement, Harry would've been surprised when there wouldn't have been someone to do the job.  
"No," Ron shook his head and laid the letter aside again, "nobody wants the job. Besides, there's more important stuff for them to do. I thought you would like to get out of the house for a while. You'll also be paid for it, so where's the problem?"   
"There's no problem. But, as you very well know, I didn't conjure a Patronus in quite a while. I'm not even sure if I can still do it."   
His friend snorted and shook his head.  
"Harry... You were able to conjure one when you were only thirteen! Don't underestimate yourself all the time! You have to get out and do something. You can't hide forever."   
"I am not hiding!"   
"Yes you are!" Ron's ears became red. Always a dangerous sign.  
Harry, however, was angry too.   
"It's because you want that I finally move out, right?! I never asked to live with Hermione and you! It was your idea, but now you wanna get rid of me, don't you?"   
Ron stared at him, obviously dumbfounded and then shook his head again.  
"Don't be an idiot. I don't want to get rid of you! I just want you to become your old self again... Since the war is over, you changed. You're not the Harry I - well all of us - used to know."   
"You want to blame me for that? For showing that it did affect me?"   
"No," Ron shook his head again, "I don't want to blame you for that. But, after three years, it's time to carry on."   
Harry didn't know what to say and just avoided to look at Ron. His friend was right, he knew that... but everything seemed just dark and dull in his life.  
"Will you do it?"   
Harry looked up at Ron again, "What?"   
"The job!"   
He hesitated for a moment, but then decided that it was worth a try and he nodded, "Yeah."   
"Good. You can go there right away. They're already waiting for you."   
Ron was smiling again when Harry got to his feet.  
"You want to go for a drink after work?"   
Harry looked at his friend, wondering why he would want to go for a drink...  
"Err... Sure."   
"Okay! I'll pick you up then!"   
Harry just nodded and left the office, disapparating once he had left the Ministry.  
...  
"Finally!" a cold voice sounded towards him and Harry spun around, eyes wide.   
There, a few feet away from him, stood Malfoy. He had his arms crossed in front of his chest, looking impatient. Harry couldn't help but to stare at the other man, mesmerized by his looks.  
Malfoy frowned, "Do I have something in my face?"   
Harry blushed when he realized that he had stared at the blond and quickly shook his head.  
"No. Sorry."   
Sorry? Since when did he apologize to Malfoy!?  
The blond waved his hand dismissively and walked towards Harry.  
"Whatever. Come on, I'll need your help right away. Those Dementors won't let me near my father... Looks like they fear that I might help him to get away..." he snorted, "as if I would want that."  
Harry nodded and drew his wand, muttering the spell. The Patronus he conjured might not have been as impressing as they used to be, but it still was a solid one and would do the job. Malfoy stopped in his tracks and looked at the silvery-blue stag for a moment, a painful expression showing on his face for the tiniest moment.  
"Good. Follow me."   
Harry walked down the hallway next to the blond, the Patronus pacing in front of them. Soon, Harry could feel the familiar chill the Dementos caused a person when they were near and as soon as he saw the first of the creatures, the Patronus seemed to fade for a moment.   
Malfoy stopped walking and looked at Harry, his eyebrows raised.  
"Are you sure that you're able to do this?", doubt was clearly present in his voice.  
"Yes." Harry nodded and tried to focus on the spell again, determined not to embarrass himself in front of Malfoy.  
They continued their way and the Dementors shied away from the Patronus until Malfoy stopped in front of one of the doors and unlocked it with a flick of his wand. Harry was about to step into the room, when Malfoy grabbed his wrist and pulled him back.  
"Are you insane!? Dragon pox are highly contagious."   
He flicked his wand a second time and Harry felt a tingling sensation on his skin.  
"Now you can go inside."   
Harry walked through the door, followed by Malfoy. It was almost completely dark in the room except for the light that radiated from his Patronus.   
"Why is it all dark in here?" he whispered, knowing that Malfoy stood next to him because he could feel the other man's presence.  
"They want them to suffer as much as at Azkaban. Since their cells there have no windows, we have to keep the rooms dark."   
But suddenly there was light in the room, momentarily blinding Harry and he blinked.  
"I am just glad they allow us to turn on the lights when we're in here."   
Malfoy rolled his eyes and walked over to his patient. At first, Harry didn't realize that it was Lucius Malfoy, until he spoke.  
"Draco, my son, how are you?"   
Draco looked down at his father, but said nothing. Harry watched as he filled potion into a cup and handed it to Lucius. The older man's face had a greenish tinge, but that wasn't what made him look sick in the first place. His cheeks were hollow and his eyes had dark circles beneath them. The once long, blond hair looked dirty and unkempt and Harry realized that Lucius Malfoy looked old and haunted, reminding him of what Sirius had looked like when Harry had first met him.  
"I am done."   
Draco's voice startled him and he looked at the blond.   
"Oh. Okay."   
They left the room again and Harry could see how the lights went out again before the door closed. He looked at the blond at his side, wondering what he must feel like every time he saw his father.   
"He's pathetic..." Malfoy sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He then turned to look at Harry.   
"Will you help me prepare some of the healing potion we need for them?"   
That question came completely out of the blue and Harry's Patronus nearly vanished for the second time.  
"I... Ah... Well, I am not sure. Ron said I am here because of the Dementors..."   
Malfoy rolled his eyes, "Potter, I just asked because it would be finished quicker when I don't have to brew it alone."   
Harry shrugged and followed the blond. When they reached his office, Malfoy locked the door behind himself and walked over to his work station where a cauldron was already set up.   
"You can cut the ingredients...." the blond murmured and laid them down in front of Harry.   
"But don't sue me when it's a useless potion afterwards, okay?"   
The blond smirked at him, "I won't."   
He then sat down opposite from Harry and lit a fire under the cauldron.  
"Potter?"   
Harry looked up, almost cutting his finger, "Yeah?"   
"Can I tell you something?"   
Something unfamiliar was in Malfoy's voice, but Harry wasn't sure what it was exactly.   
"Sure. Go on."


	5. Chapter 5

He continued to cut the ingredients for the potion while he waited for Malfoy to talk. All the while he felt that the blond was watching him and he was getting nervous, not knowing what the other man would tell him. After a few more minutes, Malfoy took a deep breath and Harry knew that he was about to talk now.  
"Since Voldemort was destroyed, I wondered what did become of you. I never heard what you were up to... I eventually stopped to ask myself the same questions over and over again and since I heard Ginevra talk about you from time to time, I knew that you must be okay."   
He paused for a moment and Harry tried his best to seem unaffected by his words, but his hand was shaking and so was the knife he was holding.  
"But when I saw you at the Ministry, I was ... surprised. You seem really less like a hero than you ever did. It was shocking to be honest. You look old and restless. What happened to you?"   
Harry flinched when he cut his finger and saw the blood seeping from the wound. Just when he was about to stick his finger into his mouth to stop the bleeding, Malfoy was at his side and grabbed his wrist.  
"Don't. The leaves you just cut are poisonous."   
"Great!" Harry wasn't able to keep the panic out of his voice and felt like a fool.   
Malfoy slowly let go of his hand, making sure that Harry wouldn't to something stupid and walked over to a cupboard.   
"Don't panic, I have the antidote here..."  
He came back to Harry, a small flask in his hand and handed it over to him.   
"Two drops of it onto the cut and you'll be alright."   
Harry nodded and did as he was instructed. The cut began to smolder slightly and a weird smell filled the air.  
"It stinks."   
Malfoy smirked, "You stink, Potter."   
Harry wanted to give a retort, but Malfoy held up his hand to silence him.   
"Answer my question Potter. What happened to you?"   
Harry sighed and looked at the opposite wall, not wanting Malfoy to look him into the eyes.  
"Nothing happened to me. Why is everybody always asking that? Why does everybody suppose that I live my life like nothing ever happened? How can they think that I forgot all the people that died during that war... The ones who died for me?", his voice faded at the end and he drooped his head.  
"That's no reason to give up your life now. Because all of them died. That's the best reason to carry on and do the best of what's left."   
Harry looked up at the blond, surprised to hear such words from him. Malfoy looked back at him, his grey eyes burning with rage about Harry's behaviour.  
"Really Potter ... Stop pitying yourself, that's pathetic. I mean, look at me!" he unfolded his arms to emphasize his words, "I should be the one to sit at home and do nothing. Every time I go outside people look at me and I just know what they're thinking. I know that they think I am worth less than the dirt on their shoes. I am nothing to them. Nothing."   
His intense gaze left Harry breathless for a moment.   
"You have a wife..."   
Malfoy rolled his eyes and then turned away from Harry.  
"Because it was arranged for me to marry her."  
He looked at Harry over his shoulder, a sad smile playing around his lips, "And still, I don't feel pity for myself because of it. I do the best with what I've got."   
Harry honestly admired the blond for his words. It seemed as if Draco had found the strength he himself had lost so long ago.   
Draco... Harry smiled to himself, thinking the name and turned back to cut the remaining ingredients.   
They worked in silence for a while, only talking when Draco told Harry what he needed next. But all the while, Harry had to think about what the blond had told him about Astoria.  
"Aren't you happy with her?" he asked the question before he had really though about it and Draco looked up at him, puzzled.  
"I beg your pardon?"   
"Aren't you happy with Astoria?"   
The Slytherin looked away from him again, stirring the potion. He seemed to ponder on his answer for a moment.   
"No. I don't love her, how am I supposed to be happy then?"   
His face wore a grim expression and he sighed.   
"She's pregnant."   
Harry nearly cut his finger again, but pulled his hand away quick enough, dropping the knife to the floor.  
"Is that a bad thing? I mean... Err... When she's pregnant that means that the two of you... Well... you know," he felt the heat creep up into his cheeks and quickly bend down to pick up the knife and hide his face.  
"Well, we're supposed to have a child, but I am not sure if it's mine or not."   
Harry shrugged and felt lost for words. What was he supposed to say to that?   
Draco seemed to realize that and waved his hand dismissively.  
"It's okay. We don't have to talk about that... You can go home as soon as the potion is finished, I won't need you again today."   
Harry nodded, "Okay. And tomorrow?"   
"We start at 8am."   
Draco smirked, "I start earlier, but it's fine when you're here at eight."   
...  
Harry eyed Ron suspiciously. His friend was behaving weird.  
Once Ron had picked him up after work, they went to the Leaky Cauldron to have a drink.  
"Spit it out Ron. Tell me what you want to say."   
Ron sighed and sipped at his drink, pulling a face.  
"I am embarrassed."   
Harry just looked at him without saying more. Either Ron would tell him or he would not.  
"I want to marry Hermione."   
Harry chocked on his drink and stared wide-eyed at his best mate.  
"What? Marry her? Now?"   
Ron shrugged, "Why not?"   
"Dunno..."   
"She's pregnant Harry! There won't be a better time than now."   
"If you say so," he took a big gulp of his Butterbeer, not sure what to think about the whole thing.   
"Yeah I do," Ron nodded, "Besides, I think you should go and see Ginny. She was very unhappy yesterday."   
"She should be happy and not unhappy! I won't use her and I told her so, where's the problem with that?"   
Ron sighed, "Mate, she's still in love with you. That's why."   
"I'll go to her tomorrow after work. I am glad when I come home today, I am tired."   
He emptied his glass and got to his feet, preparing to leave. Ron got up too and they left together.   
When they entered the house, Hermione was already waiting for them and kissed Harry on the cheek once she had greeted Ron with a proper kiss. She then looked at Harry expectantly and he knew what she wanted to hear.  
"Yeah. I had a good day."   
Ron frowned, "What? Really? I thought that you had to work with Malfoy? How can that be a good day?"   
Harry raised an eyebrow and looked at Ron, "Well, he saved my life because I nearly poisoned myself."   
"How?" Hermione sounded slightly nervous and he sighed.  
"I was cutting some leaves for a potion when I cut my finger. They were poisonous and I wanted to put my finger in my mouth... He told me that I shouldn't do that and gave me an antidote."   
He held up his finger to show her where he had cut himself, "Look."   
And she did look, but her eyes became wide with fear and he himself felt kinda uneasy when he saw the wound on his finger.   
"Looks like you have an allergic reaction," Ron stated dryly and went to the kitchen.  
"Well," Harry shrugged, "He'll have to look at it tomorrow again."   
Hermione grabbed his hand and looked at his finger from all angles, her brows furrowed.  
"Are you sure that you don't want me to have a look and find out what it is?"   
"No," Harry shook his head and followed Ron to the kitchen.


	6. Chapter 6

Harry woke up with a dull pain in his left hand and groaned. It was still dark in the room and a quick Tempus charm showed him that it was only nearly 6am.  
He sat up and switched the light on his nightstand on, looking down at his hand. It looked revolting.  
The skin had turned a greenish-grey colour and it looked as if several bees had stung him.  
"Damn it..."  
He got up and thought about waking Hermione, but then remembered what Draco had said.  
'I start earlier, but it's fine when you're here at eight.'  
Would he be at work that early? Harry didn't know but decided to give it a go and dressed quickly. At least he wanted to do it quickly, but his hand was giving him a hard time and it took quite long to zip up his jeans...  
Once he was ready to leave, he wrote a quick note for Ron and Hermione and pinned it to the kitchen door before he left the house.  
...  
"Good morning, Mr. Potter!" the cleaning woman greeted him cheerfully and Harry wondered how she had been able to recognize him since he had been rushing past her.  
"Morning," was all he said while he quickly walked to Draco's office, hoping that the blond was already there.  
He knocked twice and then tried to push the door open, but it was locked. Harry cursed under his breath and leaned his forehead against the cool wood.  
In the next moment he nearly fell to the floor.  
"Woah!" he managed to grab the door frame just in time and was face to face with Draco. The blond stared back at him, his grey eyes wide with surprise.  
Draco breathed a weak "Hello," and stepped aside to let Harry in.  
Harry walked into the office and closed the door behind him, looking at Draco.  
"My hand," he lifted his left arm and showed Draco what he was talking about. The blond took a sharp breath and came closer again, examining Harry's hand.  
"What did you do?"  
Harry shrugged, "Nothing?"  
"Are you sure?" an impish grin appeared on Draco's face and Harry snorted.  
"Of course I am!"  
"Okay, okay..." he led Harry over to his desk and pushed him down onto one of the chairs there.  
Harry watched as Draco went to the shelves at the other side of the room and remembered what Ron had said.  
"Ron said that it might be an allergic reaction..." he muttered and, to his surprise, Draco nodded.  
"The Weasel's right. I just don't know if it comes from the leaves or the antidote."  
Draco came back and sat on top of the desk, taking Harry's hand in his again.  
"We'll try with this salve here and hope that it'll become better."  
Harry just nodded; it was a peculiar feeling to sit there with Draco as if nothing ever happened. As if they had been friends for a while (or at least as if they had been friendly to each other). The blond spread the salve all over Harry's hand and then rubbed his skin gently.  
"Done," he grinned and got to his feet again.  
Harry watched the other man sit down opposite from him, shuffling around some papers on the desk.  
"Shall I go home again?"  
Draco looked up and raised one eyebrow, "No, why?"  
Harry just shrugged and smiled inwardly, glad that he could stay. He didn't know why, but he felt comfortable around the blond.  
...  
Harry walked down one of the long hallways, his Patronus striding in front of him, but he felt the cold creep up his back and shivered. The dementors were hovering around him, waiting to strike. Goose bumps covered his arms and he shivered again. His Patronus was fading more and more with every step he took and the dark-hooded figures were closing in on him.  
Harry knew that it would have been better to turn around and go back to Draco's office, but the blond had asked him to fetch something for him and he was determined to reach that stupid room and get what Draco needed.  
It couldn't be too far anymore...  
He took a deep breath, feeling the cold that surrounded him fill his lungs and with one last and feeble flickering, his Patronus vanished.  
Instantly the dementors swooped towards him and in the next moment everything went black.  
...  
"What have you done to him?!" Granger's voice was high-pitched and panicky.  
Draco gave her a nasty look and ran a hand through his hair when he looked down at the unconscious Harry.  
"I did nothing. Maybe you haven't noticed, but there are quite a few dementors around."  
Suddenly the Weasel burst into the room, rushed towards Draco and grabbed the collar of his robes.  
"You ugly, little git! He's around you for a few hours and now look at him!"  
The blond pushed the other's hands away and narrowed his eyes.  
"You two idiots! I did nothing. Got it?! NOTHING!"  
He shook his head and turned back towards the bed, feeling Harry's forhead with his hand.  
"I am glad that I found him..."  
"You shouldn't have let him walk around on his own..." Granger muttered and sat down next to Harry's bed, taking his hand in both of hers.  
"You know the state he's in."  
Draco sighed, "I wouldn't have thought that they affect him that much. I mean... He fought off many of them in our third year."  
The young woman shook her head and tenderly pushed a few hair out of Harry's pale face.  
"That was long ago... I'm surprised that he was able to conjure a Patronus at all."  
Weasley still stood in the middle of the room and glared at Draco who now looked at him.  
"What's your problem? I found him, he'll be alright."  
The red haired man snorted, "He would be alright if you wouldn't be around at all. That's my problem."  
Draco felt honestly hurt by that words and unfolded his arms in a helpless way.  
"How can you blame me for what happened because of the dementors?! How can that be my fault?"  
"Because you're an unbearable git."  
Granger looked over at her boyfriend and sighed, "Let's go Ron. We can't do anything for him now. He'll need to rest."  
She got to her feet and walked over to the door, but Weasley wouldn't move a single inch.  
"I won't leave Harry here with him."  
He glared at Draco who opened his mouth to tell him to shut up finally, but Granger was quicker.  
"Come on Ron. We're leaving. Malfoy is a Healer, he'll be around him, we can't help that now."  
Once they had left, Draco walked out of the room as well and looked for one of his assistants.  
"Hey, Parker!" he called out and the young man turned around, looking startled.  
"Yes Mr. Malfoy?"  
"I want Mr. Potter to be moved to my house. I will look after him until he's fine again. Won't be around in the next days, I guess."  
Parker's eyes got wide, "But sir! You can't stay away! We need you here, you know that."  
Draco waved his hand dismissively and already turned to walk to his office and fetch his things.  
"You'll be alright even without me around. There are much better Healers then I am. Now please move Mr. Potter to my house. I'll await you there."  
The other man finally nodded and hurried down the hallway to Harry's room.


	7. Chapter 7

Harry stirred, turned around to lie on his tummy and inhaled deeply.  
His pillow smelled delicious...  
Delicious? His pillow? ... And - since when was his bed so soft and comfortable with satin bed sheets?   
He opened his eyes and stared around in the room he was in. He had never seen it before.   
"Are you awake?", a soft voice muttered and Harry looked to his left.   
Next to the bed stood a winged armchair and, curled up on it, sat Draco and looked sleepily back at him.   
"What are you doing here?"   
"I live here."   
Harry furrowed his brows and looked around again.   
"Here? Alone?"   
Draco nodded and shifted around in the chair, stifling a yawn while he wrapped the thin blanket more tightly around his body.   
"What about Astoria?"   
Harry looked over to one of the high windows and saw that it was heavily snowing outside.   
"She's at my flat... in London."   
Although the snow was coming down quickly and blurred most of the surroundings outside, Harry could see the distant outlines from a castle. He gasped and his eyes darted back to Draco.  
"Are we...?!"   
The blond nodded and smiled, "In Hogsmeade, yes."   
Harry felt a warm, familiar sensation run through his body. He was back... After three years he was near Hogwarts once again.   
"Thank you..." he muttered the words before he knew it.   
"What for?"   
Draco looked at him interested and Harry forced a weak smile, "For bringing me home."  
...  
They were sitting in the small kitchen downstairs and Harry watched Draco while he prepared breakfast.   
"Does she know? ... That I am here, I mean."  
"No," Draco shook his head and put a plate with scrambled eggs down in front of Harry.  
"Won't she come around and look where you are?"   
Again, Draco shook his head and sat down opposite from Harry at the small table.   
"No. She knows that she better stays away from me when I'm here. She wouldn't come here and look what I am doing."   
That sounded to Harry like Draco would come to that house whenever he was up to something that nobody else should know about... However, he pushed this thought from his mind and started to eat, suddenly feeling starved.   
Once his plate was empty, Draco got to his feet and grinned down at Harry, "Would you fancy some pancakes as well?"   
"Ah... no..." Harry shook his head and leaned back in his chair, "Don't you have to go to work?"   
"I have some days off now. Can't leave you alone, can I?"   
That's when Harry realized that he had no idea what had happened and why he was at Draco's house.  
"What happened?"   
The blond smirked, "Ah, I thought you wouldn't ask."   
He sat down again and watched Harry for a moment before he started to explain, "Don't you remember what happened when the Dementors attacked you?"   
"I do remember that, but not what happened afterwards."   
"Nothing much, really. You became unconscious and I found you before something bad could happen... Then I sent a message to Granger and she came over with Weasley..."   
Harry leaned forwards and gaped at the blond, "What? They were there!?"   
"Yes. Just to blame me for what happened..."   
Harry ignored that fact for a moment, not sure what exactly had happened at the hospital and he didn't want to talk bad about his friends when there probably wasn't a reason to.  
"And why am I here now?"   
Grey eyes met his and he had the feeling that Draco had to think about his answer for quite a while. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "I wanted to look after you. Without your friends bursting into the room all the while."   
"But why would you want to look after me? I mean... after all that has happened and... Well, you know."   
"Maybe because I wanna make up for it?" the words rushed out of Draco's mouth and Harry had a hard time to understand him.   
Harry sighed and shook his head, "There's no need to make up for anything. It's all over, just don't think about it anymore."  
Draco just nodded, but said nothing more and they sat together in silence for a while.  
Harry's eyes wandered around and when he looked out of the window, he knew what he wanted to do.  
"Let's walk around a bit. I wanna see Hogsmeade, haven't been here in ages."   
The blond looked at him and frowned, "You should stay inside and rest a bit longer."   
Harry rolled his eyes, "Listen, I will need some clothes if I have to stay here... And I really would like to go outside for a bit."   
He really did. He had stayed away from people most of the time for the past few years, it was time to change that again. Especially since he felt so comfortable when being around Draco.  
"Fine..."   
Harry grinned hugely and got to his feet, hurrying to the bedroom to pick up his shoes. Draco followed him and started to look through his wardrobe. He finally turned around, a heavy black cloak in his hand and handed it over to Harry.  
"Here. You'll need it, it's quite cold outside."  
The fabric was heavy and Harry knew instantly that it must have been expensive. He put it on and grinned awkwardly at Draco, "It's a bit small..."   
"Shall I look for another one? Although I don't think that the others would fit better... Your shoulders are just too broad."   
"I am really sorry, Mr. Malfoy."   
Draco chuckled and walked out of the room. Harry quickly followed him and slipped into his trainers on the way to the door.   
The blond looked at him before he opened the door, "Are you sure that you wanna go outside? I won't be able to carry you home if you faint because you're still too weak to walk around outside."   
"I won't faint. I am not a girl."   
"Never said you are."   
Together, they left the house and stepped out onto the snowy street. There were only a few other people around and, to Harry's great relief, they ignored them.   
"Do you want to look for clothes first?"   
Harry nodded and Draco led the way to a shop Harry had never visited before. Just when they stepped inside a young witch came over to them and beamed at Draco, "Welcome Mr. Malfoy! It's always a joy to see you."   
She now looked over at Harry and, just for the tiniest moment, her eyes darted up to his scar. Before she could say anything, Draco interrupted, "We need some trousers and shirts for my friend here."   
"Alright, would you please follow me?" she turned to Harry, giving him a polite smile and he followed her when she walked away. Draco followed them and watched interested while the witch choose several black pants and handed them over to Harry.   
Harry looked down at the price-tags and his jaw dropped. He turned to Draco, his eyes wide and whispered, "They're too expensive."   
The blond shook his head and waved his hand dismissively, "Don't worry. I'll lend you the money until you can get some."   
Harry wanted to argue, but Draco shook his head again, giving him a look that told him that he better said nothing more.   
The witch continued to hand Harry some shirts and jumpers and several cloaks, all made of expensive fabric and he felt completely out of place, wearing his jeans and some old jumper mixed up with Draco's cloak.   
He would have liked to refuse to take the clothes when he heard how much they cost, but Draco took the bag and forced it into Harry's arms when they left the shop.   
"Potter," Draco eyed him with a stern look, "You need some nice clothes. I always only see you running around in Muggle things..."   
They walked a bit, but Draco suddenly stopped and looked Harry up and down.  
"You look gorgeous in this pants, by the way. So stop complaining. Good clothes are expensive."   
Harry felt the heat creep up into his cheeks and stuttered some incomprehensible words, before he decided to better shut up and continue walking towards the Three Broomsticks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos/comments so far :) There will be two more chapters after this one and I'll upload them today too! xx
> 
> Ps: This story has been on my computer for quite a while, so it's pretty old and probably not perfect at all, but I still wanted to upload it :)


	8. Chapter 8

Safely curled up in Draco's bed, Harry enjoyed his peaceful slumber; it was only disrupted by the blond who sometimes walked into the room and out again. From time to time, Harry dared to throw a secret glance over at Draco, seeing that the blond smiled fondly at him, obviously thinking that he couldn't see it.  
The sky outside was dark and snow still swirled past the high windows, settling on the windowpanes outside.  
For yet another time, Draco came into the room and looked over at Harry who now looked back, grinning.  
"Are you watching me while I sleep?"  
The blond blushed and Harry's grin grew wider. He still wasn't sure what it was exactly that made him feel so comfortable around the other man, but he was thankful that he could share some time with Draco.  
"No," the other one sniffed and turned around again in an attempt to leave the room.  
"Stay," Harry called out and now blushed himself when Draco looked back at him, one eyebrow raised.  
Harry drooped his head and looked down at his hands, "Please..."  
He heard Draco walk over to the bed and looked up again. A small smirk lingered on the blond's lips and he sat down next to Harry.  
"I don't watch you when you're sleeping. I was just worried that you're going to be ill..."  
Harry raised an eyebrow, "Why should I?"  
"Because you should've stayed inside. Several Dementors were attacking you... That's nothing you should take too easy."  
Harry just shrugged.  
Draco sighed after a moment and ran a hand through his hair and Harry was mesmerized by that gesture. To see Draco's blond hair glide through his long, slender fingers...  
"You have really nice hair."  
The words had left his mouth before he even had the time to think about it. Draco frowned and looked wordlessly at Harry for a moment.  
"Potter, I am not a girl. Your charming flirt attempts do absolutely nothing to me."  
For a moment, Harry thought that the blond was angry, but then heard the distinct tone of amusement in his voice and he grinned.  
"What a shame..."  
Wide, grey eyes stared at him, "Really?"  
He nodded, "Really."  
He wasn't sure if it was really there or if he was only imagining it, but Draco's pale cheeks turned a light shade of pink.  
"Oh, just shut up Potter."  
Draco got to his feet and walked over to the window, leaning against it's frame. Harry watched him, wondering what had caused that change of mood.  
Both of them stayed silent for several minutes that seemed to Harry more like hours and he opened his mouth a few times, but decided against talking and shut it again.  
No need to say that he was more than surprised when the blond suddenly turned around, came back to the bed with a few, long strides and cupped his cheeks with both of his hands.  
Harry just stared at him, completely taken aback from the sudden movement and held his breath. Draco's eyes were unreadable and he leaned closer, his hot breath brushing over Harry's lips, causing him to shiver.  
"You're an unbearable git, Potter... I tell you that," the blond whispered.  
Before Harry could make sense of those words, Draco pressed his lips to Harry's, leaving him breathless.  
His hand found its way into Draco's silky hair, pulling the blond closer. Harry had the feeling that his body was on fire, he was overly aware of Draco's lips on his own while his other hand made its way underneath Draco's shirt.  
The other's scent made his head spin and he gasped into Draco's mouth, his lungs screaming for oxygen. Draco moaned softly in response and took his chance to let his tongue slip into Harry's mouth.  
Just when Harry was sure that their kiss would last forever and make them suffocate, Draco pulled away, panting heavily. His eyes were glazed over from lust and it sent a shiver down Harry's spine to see the other man like this.  
Even though he still felt that burning desire in every fibre of his body, he cracked a grin, "So... I am a git?"  
The blond just nodded, still breathless. Harry silently wondered why he had no problem at all that he had just kissed another man. That he, actually, had just kissed Draco Malfoy.  
He shrugged and reached out to touch Draco's cheek. His fair skin was slightly blushed and Harry admired it's softness beneath his fingertips.  
"What about Astoria?"  
Draco looked at him, his grey eyes still having a passionate glint, but he frowned.  
"What do you mean?"  
Harry looked back at the blond for a moment, not sure how to express what he was thinking and feeling. He had troubles to focus on one, clear thought, since his mind was racing with various things.  
"Well... What about this. Us...?" he couldn't keep the uncertain tone out of his voice and felt foolish for it. What was he talking? How could he even think that there was something between them. It were him and Draco. Still. Like before. Like nothing ever happened. People often kissed and never talked about it again, right?  
Right.  
"Us? There's no 'us', Potter. It was just a kiss."  
The word 'just' made Harry flinch involuntarily and he took his hand away from Draco's cheek. The happy bubble around him burst as quickly as it had come to life and he drooped his head.  
"Right... Sorry... I was being stupid."  
"There's nothing you have to apologize for," Draco whispered and got to his feet, his back facing Harry.  
"Just keep it to yourself. There's no need to upset somebody by telling them, okay?"  
Harry nodded even though the other one couldn't see it, "Sure."  
Without another word, Draco left the room and closed the door behind himself. Harry let out a groan once the blond was out of earshot and hid himself under the heavy blanket.  
He was so stupid! He had actually been thinking that there were feelings involved just because Draco had kissed him! How could he have fallen so quickly for the other man without even realizing it?  
Harry was thinking about that for quite some while without coming to a conclusion and he eventually had to admit, that the black hole he was stuck in, had just become a bit deeper. Swallowing him even further and denying him the chance to get out of it.  
With a feeling of deep hopelessness, he drifted off into an uneasy sleep, overshadowed by nightmares.


	9. Chapter 9

"Harry!"  
He started and stirred, his eyelids still heavy from sleeping. All he could see for a moment was a mass of ginger hair and a familiar scent filled his nose.  
"Gin?" he whispered and pushed the girl away a bit.  
She smiled at him and nodded her head once before she hugged him again.  
"I am so glad that you woke up!"  
He frowned at her when she finally let go of him, wondering what she was talking about.  
"Why wouldn't I wake up when you scream my name?"  
The smile on Ginny's face faded quickly and she softly pushed some hair out of his face.  
"You were having a nightmare. I tried to wake you for quite a while."  
"Oh..."  
The door to the room was being opened and Harry looked over at Draco when he entered the room. The blond looked tired.  
"Ah, you're finally awake."  
Harry felt a short stab of pain when their eyes met and he quickly looked at Ginny again.  
"What are you doing here anyway?"  
Ginny sighed, her hand still resting on his temple.  
"Draco called me and asked me to come over because you slept so long-"  
He interrupted her, "What? How long did I sleep?"  
The blond now walked over to the bed and sat down on a chair next to it.  
"Well over 26 hours... You had a fever as well. I tried to wake you but then decided on just letting you sleep, hoping that you would get better soon."  
Harry shook his head in an attempt to sort his thoughts, but it didn't work.  
"Why did I sleep so long?"  
Draco shrugged and their eyes met again for the shortest moment, "I guess it was an aftereffect from the Dementor attack, although I am not sure. You could as well be getting a cold."  
Ginny suddenly smacked her lips and got to her feet. Harry looked up at her in surprise and she smiled crookedly back at him.  
"I think I can leave again, right? You two seem like you have to talk about something."  
"No," Harry shook his head, "You can stay a bit longer if you like?"  
She chuckled lowly and then turned around, flicking her hair back over her shoulder.  
"I have to go and see Ron and Hermione, they wanna know if you're alright. They're not really happy that you're staying here instead of being at home."  
He sighed and watched her walk over to Draco. She leaned down, whispered something into the blond's ear and then disapparated with a faint 'crack'.  
An uncomfortable silence settled over the room and Harry could hear Draco's even breathing. It was unnerving and he wished that the blond would just leave him alone again. He still wasn't over their kiss and it all came back to him now, hurting even more than before.  
"Draco..."  
He looked at the other man, but Draco preferred to look down at his hand, obviously very interested in an old ring he wore.  
"No Potter," he sighed and then looked up, meeting Harry's gaze, "there's no sense in talking about it. Because there's nothing to talk about."  
"Stop calling me Potter, will you! And there's something to talk about!"  
He sat up and looked intently at Draco, hoping that he was finally able to make his point clear.  
"You kissed me. Not the other way around. Now don't act like nothing ever happened, because something did happen."  
Draco raised an eyebrow, "How old are you? Fourteen? I kissed you, yes. So what?"  
Harry sank back into the pillows, avoiding the grey eyes that now looked at him, giving him the feeling that Draco was able to look straight into his soul.  
The Slytherin seemed to think that he was acting like a stupid, little prat. Being hysteric because they had shared a kiss. But that wasn't the problem. Harry wasn't acting like he did because they had kissed. He was being hysteric because he wasn't able to fully understand his own emotions. The ones the blond caused him to feel. He felt like being trapped on an endless roller coaster.  
"Why did you do it then? When it meant nothing to you anyways..." Harry still avoided to look at the other man and his heartrate picked up while he waited for an answer.  
"I don't know. I just felt like it."  
Draco sighed and got to his feet again, "Listen, I don't see a reason to explain myself to you. It happened. Just forget it, okay? It meant nothing, really."  
Before Harry had the chance to answer him, Draco left the room, silently closing the door behind himself.  
...  
It was the 20th of December, Harry had spent a week at Draco's house in Hogsmeade. He had wanted to leave, to go back to Ron and Hermione, but the blond wouldn't let him. Even though they didn't really talk to each other, Draco seemed to care.  
Harry sighed and pulled his cloak more tightly around himself. The wind was whipping around him and snow came swirling down from the dark grey sky above. It was almost impossible, but he could see the outlines from Hogwarts and felt a strange feeling of longing in his chest.  
However dark and difficult his time at Hogwarts had sometimes been, he still missed the school. Sometimes he wished that he could turn back time, to go back and start all over again. There were so many things he would do different with what he knew now.  
Probably he would let the Hat sort him into Slytherin and maybe he would become friends with Draco, just to see how it would turn out... He would be able to help the blond and he wouldn't attack him...  
"Harry?"  
The voice nearly got carried away by the strong wind.  
He turned around and looked at Draco who stood a few feet away from him, his blond hair hanging into his face.  
"I thought it was a good idea to get some distance between us..."  
"No," the other man whispered and came closer, coming to a halt next to Harry.  
"I wanted to apologize. You weren't acting like a fourteen year old. I was."  
Draco looked up at him, a tiny smirk on his lips, "I was acting like an idiot."  
"Yes you were, honestly," Harry agreed and nodded his head once.  
Draco chuckled and then stepped around Harry, now standing in front of him. He looked down at the blond, wondering what he was up to and he was more than suprised when Draco suddenly wrapped his arms around his waist.  
"Wha-?"  
"Just shut up," Draco muttered and pressed his body close to Harry's.  
He placed a soft kiss on Harry's neck and then rested his chin on his shoulder.  
"I tried to get you out of my head again... Ever since we met at that Ministry ball, but it didn't work. I think I finally found out that there's no sense in pretending..."  
Draco's voice was low and hardly more than a whisper, but it sent a shiver down Harry's spine.  
"That's why you...?"  
The blond nodded, "That's why I kissed you. Yes."  
"And now?"  
He leaned back a bit to look down at Draco, who was smiling up at him.  
"Let's just try?"  
Harry nodded and their lips melted together in a soft, shy kiss.  
A deep feeling of calmness took hold of Harry and he wished that the time would just freeze. The world could stop turning and he would've been perfectly fine. There, in that moment with Draco and nobody else.  
Draco was the one with the strength to light up his sky. To lead him back to life.

-Fin-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. This is it.  
> I hope the end isn't too lame? I am not sure about that, really... Well, I still hope you liked it (at least a bit)! xx


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